Contender, the 'largest great white shark ever', is coming to the US very soon

Scientists track 14-foot shark “Contender” as he travels north to Canada feeding on seals before winter.

A massive great white shark, named Contender, has been spotted off the Canadian coast. 14 feet long, weighing 1,653 pounds, it is said to be the biggest male great white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. Contender was tagged in January by OCEARCH, a non-profit that studies big sea animals. He was tagged 45 miles off the coast of Florida and Georgia. He has a special tracking device that only sends signals when his dorsal fin pokes out of the water. This allows scientists to follow him across the ocean and learn more about these monsters.

Researchers tagged Contender in January 2025 off Georgia, grabbed their samples, and let him go.(Representative Image/Pixabay)

Contender travels far north

Recently, OCEARCH received a rare “ping” from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, near the Labrador Peninsula in Canada, one of the furthest north locations ever recorded for a tagged great white. According to John Tyminski, senior data scientist at OCEARCH, Contender traveled around 857 miles from Massachusetts to Canada, averaging 12 miles per day.

Tyminski said the shark was likely drawn to the area by cold water full of seals and schooling fish, which provide a rich food supply. Contender spends the summer and fall months eating seals to build up fat reserves before heading south to Florida for the winter.

Helping ocean balance

Chris Fischer, OCEARCH founder and expedition leader, told The Mirror that Contender’s presence benefits the environment. By preying on seals, great white sharks help protect fish populations. Fischer explained, “When white sharks are around, seals eat only one-fourth as much per day. Without sharks, seals can wipe out fish stocks.”

He added that Contender’s behavior shows the adaptability of great whites, which can survive in very cold waters if they have enough food. “Like horses in winter, as long as they have food, they’re fine. If they run out of food, they freeze very quickly,” Fischer said.

Tracking for science and conservation

OCEARCH said Contender’s movements give scientists valuable real-time data to understand shark migration and behavior. The organization hopes tracking him will one day help identify great white shark mating areas, a mystery still unsolved.

“Each movement adds to the bigger picture of shark science,” OCEARCH wrote on Instagram. “Every ping helps us protect these important predators and keep the ocean in balance.”

FAQs:

Q1. How big is Contender, the great white shark?

Contender measures 14 feet long and weighs 1,653 pounds, making him the largest male great white ever tagged.

Q2. Where was Contender last spotted?

Contender was last tracked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, near the Labrador Peninsula in Canada.

Q3. Why are scientists tracking Contender?

Researchers at OCEARCH are studying his migration to understand great white shark behavior and conservation.